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Hawley Describes Harsher Penalties He Wants For Rioters Who Torch US Flag

June 11, 2025

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said Wednesday on “Jesse Watters Primetime” that he would support doubling prison sentences for those caught burning the American flag during riots.

Protests and riots broke out Friday in Los Angeles after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids throughout the city, later spreading to other major areas across the country. While on Fox News, host Jesse Watters asked the Republican lawmaker if he believes Democrats see the events as “politically good” for them, noting how some legacy media outlets appear to never ask rioters any questions. (RELATED: How Well-Funded, Organized Leftists Helped Jumpstart LA Riots)

“Well that’s what they’re acting like. They’re out there saying ‘All peaceful protests, it’s all peaceful, and, by the way, this is Donald Trump’s fault.’ I’m like, really? Donald Trump’s fault? Gee, I missed it when Donald Trump went and blew up a car on Highway 101,” Hawley said. “I didn’t see him when he was assaulting cops.”

“What I saw was a bunch of lunatics who were waving the Mexican flag and other flags while they burned our own,” Hawley added. “By the way, Jesse, we ought to penalize people who burn the American flag while they’re committing a crime. If you do that, you ought to have your prison sentence doubled. It’s time to get serious with these people. It’s law and order time in America. No more of this nonsense.”

WATCH:

Prior to the riots beginning Friday, ICE arrested criminal illegal migrants with histories ranging from second-degree murder to cruelty to a child and domestic violence. In response to ICE conducting arrests, rioters looted local businesses, burned Waymo self-driving cars, and set off fireworks in the streets of the city.

Watters went on to ask Hawley if he would support an “extra two years” in the “commission of a felony” if someone were to burn the American flag.

“Absolutely,” Hawley said. “That’s what I would do. If you want to go burn a flag while you’re up there rioting, while you’re assaulting cops, while you’re blowing up cars, yeah, fine, go right ahead. Spend double the amount of time in prison. That flag means something to Americans. If you think that you can just burn it and get away with it, it’s time that we disabuse them of that notion.”

Since the riots began in Los Angeles, Democrats like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have attempted to downplay the violence. By Sunday, President Donald Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard members to the federal building in the city, along with 700 Marines by Monday.

Border czar Tom Homan said in April that since President Donald Trump’s January inauguration, the administration has arrested 139,000 illegal immigrants. ICE data shows that three in four of those arrested have been criminal illegal aliens.

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